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Equal parts soaked and stoked, about 200 volunteers slogged through yesterday’s driving rain to
build a playground for South Side children and what they hope is a bright future for Fairwood
Park.

“This will go a long way in making this park once again a focal point in this community,” said
Rufus Jones, the executive director of the Southeast Apostolic Mission, which is across Fairwood
Avenue from the Columbus park’s entrance.

Thumping music mixed with the sound of sawing as construction kicked off just before a deluge
turned the job site into a mud pit. Volunteers were drenched and mud-spattered by the time local
dignitaries arrived for the midafternoon ribbon-cutting.

Partners in the new playground are the city of Columbus, the local service-oriented Harmony
Project, McDonald’s restaurants and KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit group that provides money for
such projects and has built more than 2,200 playgrounds nationwide. That includes two others in
Columbus — in Brentnell Park on the Northeast Side and Saunders Park on the Near East Side.

Laurel Laidlaw, the project manager for KaBOOM!, said the playground’s design and orange, purple
and green color scheme were inspired by a poll of neighborhood children.

“Our vision is that every child in America lives within walking distance of a playground,” she
said. “It can be pouring all day, and we’ll still get it done.”

Other groups and businesses, including Alvis House and Fifth Third Bank, provided labor, food
and other support.

About 50 clients of Alvis House were among the crew members. Alvis House leaders found the
playground project a good fit for the ex-offenders who are trying to repay their community for
damage they’ve done, said Gerard Lowe, vice president.

“It’s a sense of pride,” he said. “Look what we built. Look what we as a community built.”

The project was one of many across Columbus as part of National Volunteer Week. Harmony Project
directed its efforts on the South Side, where other volunteers cleaned up litter, planted trees and
painted murals.

“It’s a focused and passionate investment in a neighborhood,” said David Brown, the founder of
Harmony Project.

Jones, of the mission, said Fairwood Park shook off its reputation for attracting trouble years
ago but has been under-used. The playground, which should open to children after concrete sets in a
few days, is a big step toward restoring the park’s vitality, he said.